Vatican official visits Peru, venerates St. Rose of Lima

Lima, Peru, Jan 10, 2012 / 06:12 pm (CNA).- Cardinal Robert Sarah, president of the Vatican charity Cor Unum, is on pilgrimage in Peru this week to visit the places where St. Rose of Lima lived.

The trip “has brought me into greater union with her and for that I thank the Lord,” he told the Archdiocese of Lima on Jan. 9. “I am very fortunate to visit the place where St. Rosa lived, because her message continues to live on.”

Cardinal Sarah, a native of Africa, noted that ever since he was a young boy he has had a special devotion to St. Rose, the patron saint of his hometown in Guinea.

During his pilgrimage, Cardinal Sarah visited the monastery and minor basilica of the 17th century saint as well as the monastery of St. Catherine.

He asked the Dominican cloistered community at St. Rose's monastery to pray for him and said he was happy to learn that there are nuns today who wish to follow the saint's example.

Cardinal Sarah voiced gratitude for the chance to visit Lima and said he would continue praying for the country. “I hope you do so for me as well,” he said. “Together we should journey towards holiness.”

The cardinal has served as the president of the Bishops’ Conference of Guinea and president of the Regional Bishops’ Conference of Western Francophone Africa.

In October of 2001 he was named secretary of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, where he served until 2010, when Pope Benedict XVI named him president of the Pontifical Council Cor Unum. He was made a cardinal by Pope Benedict on Nov. 20, 2010.